SC Cougars in command
A pair of home ice weekend wins over their cross-river American Collegiate Hockey Association rival Lake Superior State University Lakers has the Sault College Cougars with a record of 5-2-0 through their first seven games of the 2023-2024 season.
The Cougars have played three of their seven games on the home ice of the Northern Community Centre. They lost at home to Concordia Wisconsin and have won three of four road games. The Cougars split a pair of games at Michigan Tech and then won twice at Davenport University before sweeping visiting Lake Superior State at the NCC.
First year Sault College head coach Tanner Burton told Hockey News North that he likes the way the Cougar men are coming together as a team.
“First of all, our (5-2) record could be (7-0),” Burton began. “We have played pretty solid to start the season. We took a few bad penalties at crucial moments of each loss which cost us, but we fixed that going into Davenport and it paid off with two big road wins. I am very happy at the way the team is coming together. We have a special group of young men that all are working towards the same goal.”
Thus far, Ethan Esposito leads the Cougars in scoring with seven goals, three assists, 10 points. Then it is captain Caleb Wood with three goals, four assists, seven points, Michael Chaffay with two goals, five assists, seven points, Nick Jameus with 0-7-7 numbers, Kieran Nordman with 2-4-6 totals, Russell Oldham with 1-5-6 totals, Dylan Winsor with 0-6-6 numbers and Jackson Jacques with 3-2-5 statistics.
All are forwards except Jacques, who is a first year defenseman.
Between the pipes, Trennis Riley has a record of 4-1-0.